For the conclusion of this summer’s Digital Artist Residency Program at Columbia College, Stephen Eichorn will be presenting work in the A+D Gallery. Eichorn was the Summer Resident Artist and will be presenting collages created during his residency. A one night only event.

The Printers Ball is back! Presented annually by the Center for Book & Paper Arts at Columbia College, this all night Friday event is not to be missed. Make sure you check the calendar for lead up events as well. The Ball presents thousands of publications, music, readings, demonstrations, and much more.

The Printers Ball will be held at The Ludington Building at Columbia College Chicago, 1104 S. Wabash Ave. The main event is Friday, from 6-11pm.

A new installation “best viewed after dark from the sidewalk” at Robertello. Collaborators Jason Robert Bell and Marni Kotak, “[use] the application of paint to uncover flesh, the lovers find themselves quite literally emerging through the eyes of their soulmate. The messy sensuality of this play showcases their obvious pleasure, but also probes deeper issues of connection, self, and spiritual union.”

Thomas Robertello Gallery is located at 939 W. Randolph St. Show begins on Saturday night.

We all know the city gives shit to apartment galleries, even though it was recently discovered that the city itself didn’t even have its own damn story straight on what was illegal and what wasn’t. Well, unfortunately, Bill was one of those that ended up with the shi..ahem…short end of the stick. This is your last chance to see 65Grand in its original incarnation, and get an overview of the last five years of exhibitions.

65Grand is located at, well, you figure it out. Reception is from 7pm to 1am.

Daiter presenting more of the work he does best. I’ve really come to love Stephen Daiter Gallery over the last year. Street and personal photography spanning a 60 year period by Chicago natives Jay King and Lee Balterman.

Stephen Daiter Gallery is located at 230 W. Superior St. Reception is from 5-8pm.

From the venue that brought puppies into the gallery (I shit you not, it was awesome), comes another round of strangness. The artists of Iâ€™ll Be Your Mirror, and I quote, “will focus their energy on exploring the possibilities of mutually beneficial relationships rooted in conversation, exchange and sincerity.” Included in the exhibition are Lise Haller Baggesen and Anni Holm of Chicago, Gitte Bog of Mexico City, Gudrun Hasle and Berit NÃ¸rgaard of Copenhagen.

Ahoy there. Fearless leader Burke here, bringing you yet another round of weekend picks. Sorry for missing you all last week, I was out on the west coast communing with the scorpions and cactus. It was nice, I got a sunburn, and I even looked at some art. But that’s not what’s important right now. Right now you want to read about some shows happening this weekend. Well, here you go…

Hallooo! My darling dearies, it’s me again, the bringer of picks and the peddler of shows. Again, I’m not actually going to be around this weekend (this and next I’m in Cali, weekend after that Kentucky, then New Your the following weekend, if all works correctly). I will think of you all as I drink a 40 on Potrero Hill and watch the sun set over San Francisco Friday night. I’ll be thinking of you, and ALL THE ART YOU ARE OUT SEEING IN MY ABSENCE! No getting lazy just ‘cus the crawler’s out of town. Get your ass out there and support your community. Got it? Good! All right, here you go…

Where did #1 go? To the land of Outdated Press Releases, that’s where. Continue on to #2.

Waiting Room, a piece presented by Stephanie Nadeau, involves, you guessed it, waiting. I know Stephanie from out time at the ‘Tute, and have admired her work for as long as I’ve known her. For this work, ya’ll who show up will be invited, and I quote, “to come spend your time. Our mission is to allow you to contribute your time comfortably and productively while remaining completely idle. Wait for as little or as long as you like, itâ€™s entirely up to you. Stop by anytime for your free timecard and weâ€™ll get you started on a rewarding and enjoyable waiting experience.” Come wait with us.

Spoke is located at 119 N. Peoria. Waiting Room is open Saturday from 12-8pm.

Here is another prime opportunity to sit and wait. Well, perhaps not wait. Held alongside Music From Big Pink, Radical Semantics features 16mm films by Eric Stewart, Alex Lake, Ross McFessell, Adam Neese and Randy Sterling Hunter. And I quote, “Radical Semantics is a survey of 16mm films by film-makers whose methods stand in opposition to the algorithmic and computer assisted processes that define many contemporary media works. Often working with home-made optics and developing their film in sinks and buckets, these filmmakers create short works that emphasize the expressive and opt for complexity rather than reproducibility and homogeneity.”

Pentagon is located at 961 W. 19th St., 1F. Screening is Saturday from 8:10-10:10pm.

Round two of Laura Shaeffer’s marvelous project, the OpShop. And I quote, “The Op Shop v.2 is thrilled to announce the grand opening of Adhocity: an ongoing, evolving where-it’s-atmosphere of dialogue and opportunities for the exchange of ideas, objects and histories inspired by the principles of adhocism.” Oh, and be sure to head downstairs to THE CREEPIEST BASEMENT EVER! Hooray!

The OpShop is located at 1613 E. 55th St. Reception is Saturday from 5-9pm.

Adam Ekberg has a lovely exhibition of new photographs up at Thomas Robertello Gallery that closes Saturday, February 6th — that’s tomorrow people! — so if you haven’t seen it, you should do the proverbial rush right out and see it thing before it closes. After that, get yourself over to the MCA, where Adam’s work can be seen in the group show Elements of Photography, up through April 6th. I had a brief virtual chat with the very busy Mr. Ekberg this week, and am most appreciative of him for taking the time to answer my questions.

CI: In the brief statement that accompanies the portfolio of images on your website, you mention ‘lens fallibility’ as one of the means by which you activate otherwise ordinary environments.Â Could you elaborate a bit on how the notion of fallibility operates in your process?

Aberration #12, 2006

AE: These pictures have been discussed as referential to spirit photography but I like to think of them more in terms of the camera malfunctioning due to misuse. Pointing the camera at the sun is generally recognized as a bad idea on the level of putting balled up tinfoil in the microwave. If you are to go to a camera shop you can even purchase a variety of lens shades that prevent this effect from happening. I love the mistakes within images, Diane Arbus had a tendency to have Â vignetting in her prints and Nan Goldin always used flash in an elementary way which made her work feel even more personal and intimate.